Their journey began at the Research Institute of Psychiatry in Munich, where Berta focused on the study of spirochaete infections in the brains of birds and amphibians.

It was at this point that Berta received her first salaried academic appointment, and she played an integral role in the department, not only as a scientist but also as a dedicated teacher.

[3] As her career progressed, Berta made significant contributions to the study of neuropeptides and neuroimmunology, entering these emerging fields in her later years and serving as the associate editor of the journal Advances in Immunology.

Berta received numerous awards and honors throughout her career, including the National Medal of Science from President Ronald Reagan in 1983.

[8] She earned honorary degrees from various universities, including one from Harvard in 1982,[7] "as well as a nomination for a Nobel Prize for her pioneering research in brain chemicals".

In 1983, she was awarded the National Medal of Science by President Reagan, for "demonstrating the central role of neurosecretion and neuropeptides in the integration of animal function and development.